5 Culinary Destinations Along Airline Drive

With Ryan Hildebrand and Pat Sommers!

Airline Drive is well known in Houston for its produce markets, which date back to the 1940s when immigrants opened farmers markets on land owned by the city. While the markets have changed over time, visitors will find produce, bakeries and restaurants with great food. Read on for chefs Ryan Hildebrand and Pat Sommers’s favorite spots to eat and shop along Airline Drive.

What started out as a small Mexican bakery in the Greater Heights area of Houston, has become a popular destination for fresh pastries in Houston. Grab a tray and tongs and help yourself to freshly baked churros, cookies, sweet and savory breads and other goodies. El Bolillo also has a wide variety of tres leches cakes available each day. Make sure to pick up a bolillo. The bakery’s namesake bread is somewhat like a baguette but smaller and a staple in Mexico.

Canino’s was established as Houston’s farmers market in 1958. What started off as 3,800-square-foot space has grown into a produce market of more than 20,000 square feet, selling produce from several parts to local shoppers and distributing it nationwide. Take a walk around and pick up fresh fruit, vegetables, dry goods, and more.

Connie’s Seafood has been serving seafood along Airline Drive since 1979. The small eatery in the Heights serves simple seafood preparations in an eclectic space. Try the oysters on the half shell, fish ceviche, shrimp fried rice, or Connie’s seafood platter, which allows guests to try three popular seafood items from the menu. To drink, order a michelada, a Mexican beverage that fuses beer, tomato juice and lime.

Tampico opened in 1996 and has been named one of the best seafood restaurants in Houston. Choose your fish from ice-filled display cases and pay by weight. You can’t go wrong with ordering their most famous dish, the whole red snapper a la plancha, which is served on a sizzling comal with your choice of sides. Also try the seafood cups and grilled snapper with friend rice, and wash it all down with a michelada. Not into seafood? Tampico also offers other dishes such as enchiladas and fajitas.

What can top off a great day of dining? Chicago-style deep dish pepperoni pizza, vegetable pizza, and Italian beef sandwiches. Experience this family owned, Houston Heights favorite by sipping a cold beer with your pizza, gyro, Chicago hot dog or Italian beef au jus. We hope you saved some room for this last stop.